Mouths of Sirion

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Mouths of Sirion
River delta
Alan Lee - The delta of the River Sirion.png
"The delta of the River Sirion" by Alan Lee
General Information
Other namesHavens of Sirion, Lisgardh, Havens of the Ships[1], Sirion's Haven[2]
LocationNorth-east corner of the Bay of Balar
TypeRiver delta
DescriptionMarshy region with a forest of reeds
People and History
InhabitantsFalathrim, Exiles of Gondolin and other refugees from Mannish and Elven realms
EventsThird Kinslaying

The Mouths of Sirion was the great delta where the Sirion, the main river of Beleriand, emptied into the sea, in the north-east corner of the Bay of Balar.[3] The land about the mouths was named Lisgardh;[4] it was a region of reeds dense as a forest.[5]

History[edit | edit source]

Between Y.T. 1090 and 1092 the Valar assailed Morgoth in Middle-earth.[6] In the upheavals of that time the Sirion was created and its waters first flowed into the Bay of Balar, creating the Mouths of Sirion.[7]

During the years of Morgoth's captivity the Sindar spread across Beleriand and Círdan with his mariners explored the coasts.[8] Doubtless they knew of the place where Sirion met the Great Sea, but no secret refuge was hidden in the reeds until much later, in F.A. 473,[9] the year after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. That was when Brithombar and Eglarest were destroyed by Morgoth's forces and Círdan with the remnants of his people fled to the Isle of Balar or to the Mouths of Sirion where they established the secret havens.[5]

In F.A. 506[10] the Second Kinslaying occurred. Doriath was destroyed and those few who escaped, including Elwing, fled to the Havens of Sirion.[11] In F.A. 510 Gondolin fell and by the next year[10] refugees from that kingdom, including Idril and Tuor, came to the Havens.[12] Drúedain refugees from the fall of the Haladin came also to the Mouths of Sirion, reduced to a small number of families of mainly women and children.[13]

Eärendil wedded Elwing in F.A. 525[10] and he was accounted the lord of those living in the Havens of Sirion. Eärendil became a friend of Círdan and with his aid built his ship Vingilot, in which he sailed west but was unable to reach Valinor.[14] Having learned of the survival of Elwing and Eärendil, Maedhros mustered a troupe to retrieve the Silmaril that had been his father's. While Earendil was away in F.A. 538[10] the sons of Fëanor attacked and though the forces of the remaining Sons of Fëanor were not very large, they ravaged the Havens and slaughtered most of the people. They could not find the Silmaril or Elwing, who went into the Sea with it, and Círdan and Gil-galad were too late to do anything. Elwing's sons, Elros and Elrond, had been found by Maglor, who raised them out of pity and remorse. Those few who escaped this Third Kinslaying went to the Isle of Balar in the ships of Círdan and Gil-galad. From that time on the Havens were in ruins and deserted.[14]

The chief army of the Valar landed at the Mouths of Sirion during the War of Wrath. By the end of the War, most of the survivors of Beleriand gathered at the Mouths and the Isle of Balar, and many of them went to Lindon until the Elves were summoned to Valinor.

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Children of Húrin, "The Land of Bow and Helm", p. 142
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn"
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Map of Beleriand and the Lands to the North"
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin"
  5. 5.0 5.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad"
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Two. The Annals of Aman: Second section of the Annals of Aman", §48
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor"
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Sindar"
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "The Grey Annals": §257
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Three. The Wanderings of Húrin and Other Writings not forming part of the Quenta Silmarillion: V. The Tale of Years"
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Ruin of Doriath"
  12. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin"
  13. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Drúedain"
  14. 14.0 14.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath"
The Kinslayings
First Kinslaying (Alqualondë) · Second Kinslaying (Doriath) · Third Kinslaying (Havens of Sirion)